Came across this interesting article by the Associated Press concerning tug operator licensing. Jul 8th, 2009 | NEW ORLEANS — A federal program to recruit more tugboat pilots may have backfired by allowing thousands of novice captains to take the helm and contributing to a 25 percent increase in the number of accidents on the [...]

The Coast Guard issued a press release on May 12th stating that it had issued Maritime Security Directive 104-6 (rev. 2).  You won’t find the specific Directive anywhere unless you are a ship operator that is being effected by the directive.  It is apparently being distributed as a sensitive document directly to U.S. flagged ship [...]

Don’t be left at the gate without a job. Remember, April 15th was the deadline for all U.S. credentialed mariners to obtain and possess a Transportation Workers Identification Card – TWIC. The Coast Guard is now enforcing the TWIC requirement, and therefore all designated waterfront facilities will deny access to those without a TWIC card. If you are a longshoreman, port facility worker, or truck driver needing unescorted access to a designated waterfront facility, you will also need a TWIC.

Good News from the USCG concerning M/V Antalina.  NEW ORLEANS – An adrift 584-foot bulk freighter, the Antalina, weathered the worst conditions of Hurricane Ike and is awaiting a tow back to port from an ocean-going motor tug. The Coast Guard confirmed at approximately 8:00 p.m., Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, that the heaviest winds of Hurricane Ike had [...]

USCG TWIC Compliance Groupings The Coast Guard’s published TWIC compliance dates, organized by Captain of the Port regions.  Depending on where you work, you may need to get your card sooner rather than later.